
P1: OSO/OVY P2: OSO/OVY QC: OSO/OVY T1: OSO
MHDQ256-Ch15 MHDQ256-Smith-v1.cls January 6, 2011 10:53
LT (Late Transcendental)
CONFIRMING PAGES
15-37 SECTION 15.3
..
Independence of Path and Conservative Vector Fields 1013
43. If F is conservative, then
C
F · dr = 0 for any closed curve C.
44. If F is conservative, then
C
F · dr is independent of path.
............................................................
45. Let F(x, y) =
1
x
2
+ y
2
−y, x. Find a potential function f for
F and carefully note any restrictions on the domain of f. Let C
be the unit circle and show that
C
F · dr = 2π. Explain why
the Fundamental Theorem for Line Integrals does not apply
to this calculation. Quickly explain how to compute
C
F · dr
over the circle (x − 2)
2
+ (y − 3)
2
= 1.
46. Finish the proof of Theorem 3.3 by showing that if F is
conservative in an open, connected region D ⊂ R
2
, then
C
F · dr = 0 for all piecewise-smooth closed curves C lying
in D.
47. Determine whether or not each region is simply-connected.
(a) {(x, y): x
2
+ y
2
< 2} (b) {(x, y): 1 < x
2
+ y
2
< 2}
48. Determine whether or not each region is simply-connected.
(a) {(x, y): 1 < x < 2} (b) {(x, y): 1 < x
2
< 2}
APPLICATIONS
49. The Coulomb force for a unit charge at the origin and charge q
at point P
1
=(x
1
, y
1
, z
1
)isF=
kq
r
2
ˆ
r, where r =
x
2
+y
2
+z
2
and
ˆ
r =
x, y, z
r
. Show that the work done by F to move the
charge q from P
1
to P
2
= (x
2
, y
2
, z
2
) is equal to
kq
r
1
−
kq
r
2
,
where r
1
=
x
2
1
+ y
2
1
+ z
2
1
and r
2
=
x
2
2
+ y
2
2
+ z
2
2
.
50. Interpret the result of exercise 49 in the case where (a) P
1
is
closer to the origin than P
2
. (Is the work positive or negative?
Why does this make sense physically?) (b) P
2
is closer to the
origin than P
1
and (c) P
1
and P
2
are the same distance from
the origin.
51. The work done to increase the temperature of a gas from T
1
to T
2
and increase its pressure from P
1
to P
2
is given by
C
RT
P
dP − RdT
. Here, R is a constant, T is tempera-
ture, P is pressure and C is the path of (P, T ) values as the
changes occur. Compare the work done along the following
two paths. (a) C
1
consists of the line segment from (P
1
, T
1
)
to (P
1
, T
2
), followed by the line segment to (P
2
, T
2
); (b) C
2
consists of the line segment from (P
1
, T
1
)to(P
2
, T
1
), followed
by the line segment to (P
2
, T
2
).
52. Based on your answers in exercise 51, is the force field in-
volved in changing the temperature and pressure of the gas
conservative?
53. A vector field F satisfies F =∇φ (where φ is continuous) at
every point except P, where it is undefined. Suppose that C
1
is a small closed curve enclosing P, C
2
is a large closed curve
enclosing C
1
and C
3
is a closed curve that does not enclose P.
(See the figure.) Given that
C
1
F · dr = 0, explain why
C
2
F ·
dr =
C
3
F · dr = 0.
P
C
2
C
3
C
1
54. The circulation of a fluid with velocity field v around the
closed path C is defined by =
C
v · dr. For inviscid flow,
d
dt
=
C
v · dv. Show that in this case
d
dt
= 0. This is
known as Kelvin’s Circulation Theorem and explains why
small whirlpools in a stream stay coherent and move for peri-
ods of time.
EXPLORATORY EXERCISES
1. For closed curves, we can take advantage of portions of a line
integralthat will equalzero.Forexample,if C is a closedcurve,
explain why you can simplify
C
(x + y
2
)dx + (y
2
+ x)dy
to
C
y
2
dx + xdy. In general, explain why the f (x)
and g(y) terms can be dropped in the line integral
C
( f (x) + y
2
)dx + (x + g(y)) dy. Describe which other
terms can be dropped in the line integral over a closed curve.
Use the example
C
(x
3
+ y
2
+ x
2
y
2
+ cos y)dx
+(y
2
+ 2xy − x sin y + x
3
y)dy
to help organize your thinking.
2. In this exercise, we explore a basic principle of physics called
conservation of energy. Start with the work integral
C
F · dr,
wherethepositionfunctionr(t)isacontinuouslydifferentiable
function of time. Substitute Newton’s second law: F = m
dv
dt
and dr = r
(t) dt = v dt and show that
C
F · dr = K . Here,
K is kinetic energy defined by K =
1
2
mv
2
and K is the
change of kinetic energy from the initial point of C to the ter-
minal point of C. Next, assume that F is conservative with
F =−∇f , where the function f represents potential energy.
Show that
C
F · dr =− f where f equals the change in
potentialenergyfrom the initial point of C to the terminal point
ofC.Concludethatunderthesehypotheses(conservativeforce,
continuous acceleration) the net change in energy K + f
equals 0. Therefore, K + f is constant.